Kaos

Finally got out for breckie again this morning; it's been a while sadly. I have finally conceded that my children are not at good ages for public eating sessions; it's too stressful. So I am restricted (even more) in when I can get out for a review. Plus I'm attempting to lose a few kilos, so over-consumption is not an option.

Anyhow, I remembered Kaos last night during Master 9 months' 3.00am feed, and hatched a plan to meet my sister there for a mid-morning nosh down. I've not been to Kaos for about 2 years, and that was lunch if I recall correctly. I'd heard some mixed feedback about the place, but went with an open mind.

I liked it. The new outdoor eating area is pleasant, if lacking in sun protection. We sat indoors as it was fiercely sunny and we didn't have hats or sunscreen with us. It was 10am and there were a few tables already ensconced - a few couples having coffee, some girls with prams, some singles reading papers.

The breakfast menu was simple but totally adequate: organic muesli, various toasts, waffles with sweet toppings, eggs a few ways. I was sorely tempted by the smashed avocado on rye with somethingorother, and also by the fried haloumi with roast tomatoes, rocket and somethingorother. But in order to review on a level playing field, opted for my usual : the poached eggs. Always a good indicator, I believe, of a great kitchen is an ability to poach to perfection. My sis ordered scrambled with mushies. A long black for yours truly and a chai latte for caffeine-averse sister.

My coffee was Strong. Too strong for me really, but there was no bitterness so I was able to still enjoy it. I just didn't order a second. The chai latte was apparently fantastic ("as good as Oomph's, which is the best" says sis). A requested bottle of water and 2 glasses failed to arrive until further prompting 20 mins later.

My poached eggs were faultless. Great toast. The only minor irritant was that they were served in a shallow bowl, a pet hate of mine as it hinders knife and fork action. The scrambled were disappointing though: my sister complained of them tasting greasy, so I offered to taste test. They were indeed over-oily, in fact buttery as hell. Now I love my butter as much as the next (overweight wo)man, but god knows what the cook was thinking when these eggs were being scrambled. A shame, really.

The service was good. Apart from the oversight with the water, we were visited several times by two friendly floor staff who wished to ensure our visit was pleasant. And indeed it was. The cafe feels a lot roomier now that there is an outdoor room adjacent, and I would not hesitate to take kids along (as long as it wasn't my own 2 feral creatures).

All up, I am eagerly anticipating another visit to a new favourite!!!

Kaos Cafe, Elizabeth St
Score: 7/10

second drawer dilemmas

Here's the ugly fugly kitchen, as promised. In 3 months time it will be living in a shack on the Tasman Peninsula and it's replacement will be providing me with hours of pure joy.

My mum gave Mr Nellie a gift the other day. An egg-poachy gadget she'd spied in Norman & Dann and decided he must own. Now I don't wish to sound like an ungrateful daughter, god forbid, but I have a true aversion to these useless-and-unnecessary-and clutter-up-my-already-overcrowded-second-drawer gadgets. You know the ones?

Given that I am trying to rationalise the kitchen shit and throw out all seldom-used items BEFORE I pack up the old kitchen, the egg-poachy thingamijig is bugging me. Sure, it poaches the eggs well; Mr Nellie cooked me a lovely breakfast on Saturday morning and we agreed the eggs were definitely up to scratch. But it's just as easy to pop the eggs into the water sans gadget, isn't it?

If I could eliminate all the unnecessary clutter in that second drawer, I feel that my life would be changed. I would become less stressed. Less frustrated. More peaceful and calm.

First to go is the novelty potato peeler shaped like a grinning potato. Then the 6 gingerbread person cutters in various sizes: I suspect one might suffice. I also own 6 variants on the bottle-opener theme: ditto. The champagne stopper goes (pointless, as the bottle's always emptied). The whisks too; I never use them and they just get tangled in everything. Dozens of chopsticks, Why? I can never match a pair anyway. A tea strainer. 2x beaters that belong to a mixer I threw out last year. A garlic press I never use as garlic's best crushed under a knife. Weird little pate spatula things someone gave us years ago, never used. Various plastic paraphernalia.

Bugger. Just looked in the drawer below that one and realise it's just as chaotic. The baby drawer contains sippy cups of various brandings and spouts (teats, straws, Thomas Tank Engine, Wiggles, Nemo), dummies, assorted cutlery and plasticware.

This may take some time. So thanks Mum, for the egg poacher.

Kitchen dreams

My baby boy is 9 months old today. He's a gorgeous wee thing; well-nourished I think is the term. A bit like his mother in that regard. So happy birthday Lewis. xx

Mr Nellie took himself out for breckie this morning, bless him, and called me from the office to give me a run down of the event. For some reason he decided to re-visit Cafe Kara, despite having been sadly disappointed in his meal last time. He is a kind soul, my husband, and far more tolerant and forgiving than I. But he will not return to Kara after this morning's effort.

I would never(!) say "I told you so", but his rock-hard poached eggs that arrived nearly an hour after he arrived were somewhat disappointing. Apparently he enjoyed his coffee when it eventually arrived, but any chance of ordering a second was slim.

Ahhh, Mr Nellie, that'll teach ya for going out for breakfast without your good wife (who incidently had a couple of child-free hours this morning, and was perusing new kitchen plans over coffee at Lansdowne Cafe, SOLO).

Our house renovations commence in the next few weeks, so I am excitedly preparing for shifting the family up the hill (we have a house at Neika where we'll spend the next 3 months while the West Hobart residence gets tarted up). I feel like a kid at Christmas just thinking about my lovely new kitchen being built.... finally some bench space, a large pantry, shiny surfaces and an induction cooktop. Cooking might become enjoyable again. I hope so, because since we moved here 10 months ago, it's been painful and depressing negotiating a kitchen with no cupboard space whatsoever, approx a metre of bench and a 2 hob hotplate.

If I'm to be a professional Housewife (as I told Mr Nellie a few months ago) I need an appropriate space for my creative talents and energies. I need multiple sinks, a Liebherr fridge, induction hotplates, swanky oven, a walk-in pantry with a second fridge, you get the gist....

I will post my before and after shots for your viewing pleasure, OK?

Better run, poor birthday boy has been watching the same DVD for past 40 mins while Mother of the Year blogs away......

Cheers.